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Experience It All: Celtic Colours, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

For the past 9 days, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, was home to a unique celebration of music and culture called the Celtic Colours International Festival. Celtic Colours promotes, celebrates, and develops Cape Breton’s Celtic culture through concerts, outdoor events, visual art series, participatory events, community meals, and learning opportunities. You may have physically missed the 2012 Celtic Colours, but you can experience it all through my 7 days in Cape Breton at The Celtic Colours.

Enjoy Cape Breton fiddling with The Cape Breton Fiddlers

Participate in a Milling Frolic

Sea for yourself at Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design at the Exhibit: Sea and Sky – Visual Art Series

Celebrate the bagpipes with Rankin MacInnis

Learn from experience at a Traditional Ceilidh

Share in song at Highland Village

From Gaelic singing, Cape Breton fiddling, local dance traditions, and afternoons filled with bagpiping, story-telling, and learning opportunities, I spent the week immersed in Cape Breton’s Gaelic culture. I hope you feel like you’ve experienced it with me. Maybe next year we can really celebrate together.

COOL! I grew up in Nova Scotia until 5 years ago when I went to study in Newfoundland (and now find myself in Prague for a semester). I must admit though I have only once been to Cape Breton to take the ferry to NL (I’m from the other side of the province). Super awesome you’ve been there though =)

Thank you so much. My husband and I spent our honeymoon at the Celtic Colours Festival 10 years ago. After having an anniversary party on Saturday, what a wonderful surprise for me to be reminded of my honeymoon via blog on Monday!

Thank you so much, we just returned from a cruise that took us to beautiful Nova Scotia…we just missed the festival but was hearing plenty about it. I keep telling everyone I left my heart in Nova Scotia – so I will be back and this time to make this festival.

I can understand that…I am ready to move now…cold doesn’t bother me too much..that is why we have sweaters, coats, gloves…etc… 🙂 I own more sweaters and jackets than summer clothes. I would fit right in!

Lesley, I have always wanted to visit Nova Scotia and your posts make me want to experience it all the more. Thank you for sharing your lovely trip and the concept of being a “tourist” at home. Maybe I’ll try that idea in my own backyard!

Im really hoping to get up to Nova Scotia sometime in the near future. I miss the northern east coast. Last time I was up there was in the middle of winter. Needless to say my last experience up there was slightly different then the one you are experiencing now.

Lesley: What’s really wild is that I never even knew about this during my 48 years living in Canada (Toronto). Thanks much for your selfless investment in putting this together. Blessings to you and the family. Hugs from here.

Just wanted to return the favor of your visit and to say I dig all things Celtic. I was wondering if The Rankin Family were in attendance or represented in any way during the festival since they are native denizens of Cape Breton Island. Have always enjoyed their music…

The festival was a joy to attend even if vicariously through your site.